Essays | Multi-media Presentations
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech (2025): how to live in the emerging polycentric world
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech at the XXII Meeting (Final Plenary Session) of the Valdai International
Good Boy: a film of love, death, grief and deep devotion capable of self-sacrifice
Ben Leonberg, “Good Boy” (2025) For his first film as a director, Ben Leonberg chose
Mr Burton: an intriguing story of transformation told in a tired and stale narrative style
Marc Evans, “Mr. Burton” (2025) Told in conventional British history drama style, “Mr. Burton” tells
British Films | North American Films
28 Years Later: post-apocalyptic horror flick disintegrates with improbable plot and flat characters
Danny Boyle, “28 Years Later” (2025) A much-anticipated entry in the series of films that
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea: a tale of wonder and transformation deflated by flat characters and boring plot
Hayao Miyazaki, “Gake no Ue no Ponyo” / “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea”
German and German-language Films
Riefenstahl: portrait of an artist as a manipulative liar in denial of reality
Andres Veiel, “Riefenstahl” (2024) Gaining access to 700 boxes of archives of the work of
The Penguin Lessons: an unlikely friendship leads to personal and social transformation
Peter Cattaneo, “The Penguin Lessons” (2024) At first this film appears no more than a
Logan’s Run: a flawed film with intriguing questions about the social contract
Michael Anderson, “Logan’s Run” (1976) Admittedly this film has not aged well over the past
Mary and the Witch’s Flower: visually attractive but otherwise a flat effort
Hiromasa Yonebayashi, “Mary and the Witch’s Flower” (2017) A visually very attractive family movie, clearly
Small Things Like These: the power of one small act to catalyse social change and justice
Tim Mielants, “Small Things Like These” (2024) Adapted from the novella of the same name